Yountville, CA - Mustards Grill - 2006 (MOVED)

RATINGS (* for Poor to ***** for Excellent)

Type of Cuisine: Californian

Food: ****
Service: ****
Ambience: ***
Value: ***

Overall: ****

Mustards Grill Website

GENERAL: A restaurant right off the artery (highway 29) of tourist-packed Napa Valley - this can't be anything but a tourist trap, right? That's what I thought when I first visited this charming little place - but you'd be surprised how good their food is and how it kept some of the traditional French cooking techniques while using best local ingredients.

FOOD: I didn't know this place is local favorite till I went for lunch on a weekday during April (slowest time of the slow season) - and find it packed with a line outside at 1:30pm. They came for the food - simple yet amazingly delicious food. Everything we ordered (even the strange fried calamari with salad ON TOP - sort of like soaking a fried tempura shirimp in udon soup) was great. I was told by someone that the pork chop there is good - and WOW, it's SOOOO tender I thought I was in a Chinese restaurant (OOPS! There a hint of ethic cuisine bias). A kid had a plain cheese spaghetti and even that is good.

You must like well-grilled food to enjoy your meal here. I mean, everything is carcinogenically dark outside, yet vampire red inside (including pork chop and quail - a rather bold move). You have to look beyond the blackenedness to find tenderness inside. Overall, the cuisine here is on the heavier side - sort of a hybrid between good old American and country French. Soup was creamier than cream and sauces were rich and sweet.

SERVICE: Unlike most tourist traps (which is place is really NOT) in California, waiters behave like they do expect to see you again in the near future. No one showed any annoyance by the fact 5 adults and 4 children showed up with no reservation at a restaurant which probably holds fewer than 100 guests. Both adults and kids were given tons of attention and no hint of being rushed - even though there's a line outside. Interaction was always positive and pleasant, and things were delivered swiftly when they were asked for.

AMBIENCE: The place is right on highway 29. You get a view of vineyards and green hills if you sit facing the highway, so the setting it quite pleasant. Inside, however, is rather packed and tables are very small (alright, I haven't been back to Paris in a while). It looks and feels a bit chaotic. Although it didn't bother us too much, it would be an issue for those who prefer a bit more serenity in the air and privacy.

VALUE: Napa Valley is not a place where you'll find a good deal. Trust me, I've tried and failed too many times. Mustards is not going to set you back too terribly - afterall, this is the birthplace of $120 sampling dinner (or lunch!). Given the great quality of the food, I'd say it's not overpriced - which I can't say about most other Napa Valley joints I've been to.

BOTTOMLINE: Stuck in an area with some of the WORLD's best restaurants (anyone heard of French Laundry?) , Mustards is not a bad choice for a more relaxed meal (especially on your wallet) for a down-to-earth taste. It's not fancy or glamorous - for that try Bouchon - but just great food that you would want to try again and again.

LAST WORD: Just like any other good restaurants here, long line is a problem - even for a Wed lunch. Make a reservation, or go in an odd time. Also, ask for a table with a view, else you might be sitting right outside the kitchen or next to the cash register, which will REALLY make you feel like you're in Paris!